It's All Relative(65)

Jessie nodded, her heart relaxing. Grams. Their mutual relative. She was a tough old broad who managed to get around pretty well, but she still needed some personal attention. “Okay…cousin.”

Kai gave her a soft laugh and looked away. With a smile on his face, he turned back and said, “Goodbye, cousin.”

Jessie swallowed the enormous lump in her throat as she took a step toward her front door. Keeping his eyes locked on hers, he grabbed his helmet, slipped it on, and climbed onto his bike. He revved the engine a couple of times after he started it, and with him still intently watching her, Jessie waved goodbye. Kai nodded in response, then twisted around and sped off. Jessie watched until he completely disappeared, then she closed her eyes and dropped her head.

Goodbye…cousin.





To say that Kai was confused was an understatement. Here he was, actively planning a date with a vivacious, flirtatious, attractive woman, and all he could think about was his cousin’s lips wrapped around his. It was sick. It was twisted. And it was occupying every waking moment he had.

He pictured Jessie’s smile when he ate breakfast. He remembered the feeling of having her molded to his back when he drove to work. He imagined the sound of her laughter while he listened to his coworkers. But most of all, he remembered the feeling of her lips against his. He could almost still taste her, still feel the heat.

Someone smacking his shoulder returned Kai to the present. “You still here?” Kai looked up to see Louis frowning at him. The Indiana Jones wannabe was standing in front of him with a hand on his hip, like they were in an old Western and Kai was about to tell him to draw. Considering that the extent of their adventurous day had involved the two of them collecting water samples from a nearby stream, it was a little funny to Kai.

Securing the vials of water into a pack, Kai slung it into the back of a jeep. “Yeah…I’m listening.” Knowing that he hadn’t really been paying any attention, Kai struggled to remember what they’d been talking about. He instantly remembered with Louis’s next statement.

“Good, then take her to Paccione’s. You’re practically guaranteed a successful mating.” Louis shifted his stance and grinned. “In fact, I think that’s written right into the menu.”

Kai rolled his eyes and shook his head. Right. Louis was helping him plan a date with Jessie’s roommate. While he appreciated his coworker’s enthusiasm, Kai wasn’t trying to have a successful mating with April. And going to a fancy restaurant didn’t sound like much fun to him. It was just a little too…typical.

Climbing into the rig, Kai shrugged. “I don’t know, Louis. That seems a little cliché.”

Louis chuckled as he got into the driver’s side. Adjusting the numerous gadgets on his belt so he could sit back in the seat, he gave Kai a wry smile. “Clichés are clichés for a reason, Harper. They work. Every species has their version of strutting and feather-preening.” His eyes shifted forward as he started the engine. “The human ritual just happens to involve lobster and overpriced wine.”

Kai couldn’t help but wonder when the outdoorsy, wild-looking man had ever taken a girl to a place where eating the chicken with your hands was frowned upon. As they started back to the center, Kai sighed. He didn’t know April well enough to plan a date with her. Picturing what Jessie might have fun doing made him smile. He could easily imagine setting something up for her. Something different, something unique that would make her laugh. Something a little…romantic.

That thought made Kai frown. He shouldn’t be planning romantic outings with his cousin. As the incongruous gray buildings came into view, Kai glanced over at Louis. “I was thinking about something outside, a picnic or something. That’s romantic, right?”

Kai wasn’t entirely sure if Louis knew anything about being romantic. At least, not anything that was original. Louis gave him an appraising look as he parked the jeep behind the buildings. “Take her to Red Rocks.”

Kai blinked. Should he know what that meant? Seeing his confusion, Louis explained. “Red Rocks Amphitheater. There’s nothing playing this time of year, but you could take her up there and have a picnic on the steps.” He cracked open his door, but before he got out, he told Kai, “Most women go nuts for that shit. It works better than piss on a porcupine.”

His coworker’s choice of bizarre mating practices in the wild was amusing to Kai, but Louis might be on to something. Kai wasn’t sure what April was in to, but he could easily picture taking Jessie up there, stretching a blanket out under a clear blue sky. He’d have to layer up to not freeze to death, but then…that could lead to cuddling later.

Kai grimaced as he walked into the building, and reminded himself for the umpteenth time that he wasn’t planning an outing with his cousin. No, he was planning a date with April.

He needed to remember that.

As Kai went about solidifying his plans, he spent the majority of his free time at Gran’s, making sure she was getting along okay. She rolled her eyes whenever he asked her how she was feeling. At one point, he thought she might pop up and do a jig just to prove she was healthy as a horse. Assuring her that the display wasn’t necessary, he did as much as he could without coddling her.

He spoke with April a few times during the week. She called him to confirm their date, then she called him to ask what she should wear. Since he didn’t want to ruin the surprise, he only told her to dress warm. Pausing, she’d asked, “Warm? Really?”